---
title: "September 2018 Property 02. Allee Hotel, Yongin"
description: "Allee Hotel opened in 2016 as Yongin's only licensed 3-star tourist hotel. Named after tree-lined pathways, it blends boutique design with business hotel practicality across 100 rooms."
published: 2018-09-07T02:21:35+00:00
author: "ONDA 편집팀"
category: "Interviews"
image: "https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65d616979c596e0d41388d69_Frame_47.jpg"
canonical: https://global.onda.me/en/blog?slug=2018nyeon-9weol-sugso-02-yongin-eolrei-hotel
locale: en
---
# September 2018 Property 02. Allee Hotel, Yongin

![총지배인2.jpg](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a407f05306405216d532ab_62e76825eb6f4a1d38162841_5e942f3c6390000fb1d8c946_e1848ee185a9e186bce1848ce185b5e18487e185a2e1848be185b5e186ab2.jpeg)

**Property Type:** Tourist Hotel (3-star)

**Address:** 231 Sinjeong-ro, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do

**Room Types:** Standard Double, Standard Twin, Deluxe Double, Deluxe Twin, Suite Double, Suite Twin

**Amenities:** Restaurant, business center, conference rooms, fitness center, banquet hall, pickup & return service

**Nearby Attractions:** Everland, Caribbean Bay, Korean Folk Village, Nam June Paik Art Center

![lmc_6496-1.jpg](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a407f05306405216d532c7_62e76825eb6f4a3d8316283f_5e942f3d333832c6bc43a634_lmc_6496-12.jpeg)

### **Q. Hello! Could you introduce the hotel and yourself?**

Hello, I'm Baek Gwang-hyun, General Manager of Allee Hotel Yongin, which officially opened in January 2016. Our owner personally oversaw every detail of the interior design and layout — you can really see his vision come to life throughout the property. We're the only licensed tourist hotel in the Yongin area with a 3-star rating as of 2016. From the outside, we look like a boutique hotel, but at our core we're a business hotel serving a wide range of guests.

Allee has 100 rooms across two 8-story buildings (Building 1 and Building 2), which lets us segment guests by type and tailor the experience accordingly.

### **Q. What's the story behind the name "Allee Hotel"?**

"Allee" is an English word meaning a tree-lined promenade or walkway. If you look outside, you'll notice a small garden running alongside the parking lot. To reach our lobby from your car, you walk through this garden pathway — we wanted guests to feel like they're taking a stroll, passing under grape vines along the way.

Every room here has a mountain view, too. We wanted to give guests a sense of nature and tranquility the moment they arrive. As for the design, the ceilings feature a mix of exposed concrete and warm wood finishes concealing the air-conditioning system. It's not flashy, but it's simple with intentional touches. We didn't set out to be the prettiest hotel — we just wanted personality. I think that's why people have connected with us.

![lmc_6481-1.jpg](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a407f05306405216d532de_62e76825eb6f4ae227162844_5e942f3d65892b42d218bb2c_lmc_6481-11.jpeg)

### **Q. What's your typical guest demographic?**

We serve a really wide range of guests — quite different from, say, Gangnam or Hongdae where you'd see clear skews. Weekends bring families visiting Everland or Caribbean Bay. Weekdays are mostly corporate travelers from the nearby government offices and Pangyo Techno Valley. There just aren't many hotels around here for business guests, so buyers and delegations choose us. Heading toward Gwangyo or Suji, prices spike. We offer comparable quality at a more reasonable rate.

This area used to be dominated by motels before we opened, so couples visit us too. Bottom line: we get every demographic, split across the week. It's great for occupancy, but harder to nail down a single target market — which makes operations tricky.

### **Q. You have Suite Playroom and Suite Spa Room — what are those?**

These are the two signature suites among our nine suite-level rooms. The Suite Playroom was built with families in mind. We initially put a big arcade machine in there as a fun experiment — kids loved it. So we doubled down: Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Wii, plus motion-capture equipment. It's a full gaming setup families can enjoy together.

The Suite Spa Room, on the other hand, comes with a whirlpool tub (all our standard rooms have those) *plus* a private far-infrared sauna. Couples and families can enjoy a sauna session in complete privacy right in their room.

Both suites are the only duplex-style rooms in the hotel, located on the top floor with the best views. The Playroom feels like a treehouse to kids, and the Spa Room gives couples that extra layer of privacy they really appreciate.

![805호 (4)](https://d3e54v103j8qbb.cloudfront.net/img/image-placeholder.svg)

![309,509,709호 (2)](https://d3e54v103j8qbb.cloudfront.net/img/image-placeholder.svg)

![801호 (2)](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a407f05306405216d532ce_62e76825eb6f4a7849162843_5e942f3d36c30b1043e8e2e5_801e18492e185a9-2.jpeg)

### **Q. How is a hotel different from other types of lodging?**

This is the first thing we clarify with guests, because the standards aren't well understood. People often confuse hotels and motels. We actually offer dayuse (many guests call it "daesil," the motel term), and some visitors see that and assume we're a motel. They'll say, "Wait, hotels don't do daesil, right?"

But "dayuse" is a legitimate hotel term. It's common at airport hotels — you pay for the hours you need. It's an official service category, yet people mistake it for a motel-only thing. We *are* a hotel.

The simplest distinction is legal: motels are classified as general lodging businesses (일반숙박업). Hotels are tourist hotel businesses (관광호텔업). Only the latter can apply for official star ratings. General lodging can't even request a rating review.

Some guests misunderstand our operations or complain based on that confusion. It's really just a matter of regional and business characteristics varying from property to property.

### **Q. What's the most important value a hotel should uphold?**

Delivering reasonable service at a fair price. If we can provide a service without overburdening our team, we do it. Sometimes guests compare us to luxury hotels and ask why we don't offer certain amenities. I explain: those hotels charge for that level of service. We keep rates lower by focusing on what matters most — easy reservations, pristine room conditions, thoughtful touches.

In some ways, I'd say we outdo even high-end chains like L Hotels or S Stay on those fronts. We're proud of that.

We stock over 20 amenities including BB cream and essence. We offer complimentary Americano and bottled water. Sure, the Shilla has buffets, pools, saunas — we don't. But we make sure guests aren't inconvenienced on the things that *do* matter. That's our value proposition.

![조식뷔페 (3)](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a407f05306405216d532b5_62e76825eb6f4ae0b2162845_5e942f3c3338325c7a43a633_e1848ce185a9e18489e185b5e186a8e18487e185b1e18491e185a6-31.jpeg)

![5G3J6818](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a407f05306405216d532af_62e76825eb6f4a1d75162842_5e942f3d5f8678aef8659096_5g3j68181.jpeg)

### **Q. What's been challenging about running this hotel? What's been rewarding?**

The hardest part is managing two buildings at once. It requires more staff. On the flip side, it lets us separate guest types — families in one building, couples in another — which reduces friction and boosts satisfaction.

The toughest shared challenge for the team is housekeeping and handling complaints. On weekends we're nearly full — 100 rooms. Checkout is noon, check-in is 3 p.m. That's three hours to turn every room. Mistakes happen. We can't staff up like a luxury hotel, so everyone — except the owner — pitches in on cleaning.

Sometimes a guest fixates on one tiny issue and leaves a bad review. For example, all our rooms are non-smoking. Many guests smoke anyway. We can't install cameras, so detection is tough. We air out the room, deep-clean, inspect thoroughly — but if the next guest is sensitive to smoke, they'll write "This place doesn't clean." If they'd told us at the time, we'd have switched or upgraded their room, offered a refund, something. But they say nothing, then post a harsh review. That stings.

The rewarding moments? Thoughtful regulars who keep coming back. Some bring us gifts. One time, an elderly couple damaged our entrance sculpture while parking. I was on vacation. By the time I got back, they'd called a repair crew on their own dime — not to get compensation, but to *pay* for the damage. We sent the crew home, upgraded their room, and comped breakfast. They were delighted, and they're still regulars. That kind of thing makes it all worth it.

### **Q. You're competing with nearby properties like Ramada Yongin. What's your strategy?**

We think about this constantly. Ramada is a five-minute walk from Everland. We're a 20-minute drive. So we lose on proximity. But our rooms are in better condition *and* we're cheaper. If room quality were equal, price alone wouldn't cut it. But better quality *at* a lower price? That offsets the location gap.

We also do things big chains can't — seasonal welcome drinks, weekend snacks for kids, premium amenities. We keep room condition at the highest level. Our reviews consistently say: "Great in every way except location."

We offer pickup/return service to Everland for advance bookers, and we sell Everland and Caribbean Bay ticket packages at a discount. Parking is another advantage: space for over 100 cars. We didn't build underground parking (to preserve the "allee" garden feel), but surface parking is abundant.

For regulars, we run a mileage program. Pay on-site, earn points, redeem in ₩5,000 increments anytime — no blackout dates, even peak weekends.

![805호 (1)](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a407f05306405216d532e4_62e76825eb6f4a41ca162846_5e942f3e73fd9d42ce899632_805e18492e185a9-1.jpeg)

### **Q. How do you market the hotel, and where do most bookings come from?**

We hold sales meetings with our owner to plan promotions and events. The vibe is relaxed, so creative ideas flow easily. We don't have tons of F&B or spa facilities to bundle, so we get inventive: family packages with 3+ guests, women-only events (pajama parties are popular), breakfast or wine service, multi-night discounts.

We run targeted campaigns across different platforms. Social commerce sites get family-focused deals. Hotel booking sites get couple-focused offers and early-bird specials.

Our own website — revamped last year with ONDA's real-time booking engine and key-in payment — lets guests book directly without OTA commissions and with added perks. No-shows have dropped, and our direct booking rate is now third-highest after hotel aggregator apps.

### **Q. How did you discover ONDA, and what's your experience been?**

We met ONDA (formerly ZARI) at a 2016 hotel expo. We'd been using another PMS (R-brand), but ONDA's clean design and **free** pricing caught my eye. I signed up on the spot, tested it, and loved the simplicity and usability. We've stuck with it ever since.

There are gaps — search and accounting features could be stronger — but check-in/check-out is seamless, and *free* is hard to beat. I hope they keep stabilizing the system and incorporating user feedback. R-brand and S-brand have too many unnecessary features and steep learning curves. If ONDA finds the sweet spot, even a paid tier would be worth it down the line.

### **Q. Finally, any recommendations for things to see or eat nearby?**

Korean Folk Village is five minutes away. Everland and Caribbean Bay are obvious picks. Yongin has tons of golf courses — Suwon CC, Taegwang CC — and we host KLPGA tour staff and players during tournaments.

Nam June Paik Art Center is close by. For families, there's Cocomong Land in Suji, Giheung, or Bundang. Couples love Bojeong-dong Café Street in Jukjeon — featured in lots of K-dramas, super photogenic. A bit of a drive from us, but definitely worth it if you have a car.

For food, there's Singal Dining Town and Bojeong-dong. Walking distance: Manmijeong, a famous eel restaurant right out front — been on TV multiple times. Older guests drive from far away just for the freshwater eel.

![DSC03500.JPG](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a407f05306405216d532d2_62e76825eb6f4a2512162847_5e942f3e333832e9ee43a66e_dsc035001.jpeg)

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